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I have a little problem. I'm addicted to cookbooks, food writing, recipe collecting, and cooking. I have a lot of recipes waiting for me to try them, and ideas from articles, tv, and restaurants often lead to new dishes. I started losing track of what I've done. So now I'm taking photos and writing about what I've prepared—unless it's terrible in which case I forget it ever happened.

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Thursday, September 30, 2010

I hadn’t eaten a fish stick in years. As a kid, I always preferred fish sticks to burgers. In fact, that was about the only school cafeteria lunch item I ever ate, but I never touched the tartar sauce. I don't even know if kids still like fish sticks these days. At some point they disappeared from my diet. I assume that disappearance happened right about the time I was old enough to realize a re-heated, frozen, breaded piece of white fish left something to be desired in flavor, and I have no idea when it was I changed my mind about tartar sauce. So, when I saw this grown-up version of fish sticks with fresh halibut and a pickly, herby, homemade tartar sauce in the June Bon Appetit, I had to try it. I’m pretty sure this version could convince any adult to see fish sticks in a new light. The sticks were pan sauteed rather than deep fried, so there’s no heavy, greasiness about them, and the panko coating made them as crispy as can be.

The tartar sauce came together with mayonnaise, chopped fresh dill, capers, chopped fresh chives, and finely chopped cornichons. Maybe I would have liked tartar sauce all along if it had always been made like this. For the fish sticks, fresh halibut was cut into short, narrow pieces and seasoned. Then, it was coated in egg and dredged in panko breadcrumbs. It cooked quickly in a nonstick skillet with just a tablespoon and a half of oil. It was a quick meal and a nostalgic one as well.

Unlike the ones that came out of a box, these fish sticks were light, crunchy, and fresh-tasting. The tartar sauce was rich and tangy and addictive. I can’t remember what side dish the school cafeteria used to serve with their fish sticks, but it might have been tater tots. We enjoyed these with salad instead, and they surpassed any memory I had of fish sticks. I think they've found their way back into my diet for the foreseeable future.

Now I am hungry with this post. I love tartar sauce and fish sticks. Whenever my husband and I go on a date, I always request for some fish sticks for dinner. I just love the combination of the two. Great share :)

I can't even remember the last time I had a fish stick. Looks like I ought to refresh my taste buds with your modern-day version. I like that they are sauteed in a pan, rather than cooked in a vat of oil.

I haven't had fish sticks either and they are actually delicious...especially with a great accompanying suace like yours...it is proabbaly a god idea taking this recipe and making some for the freezer...that delicious sauce...mmm!Ronelle x

I used to love it when my parents when out to dinner with friends, because my brother and I always used to get to have fish sticks -- but these look waaay better than the ones that I remember. The dill-caper sauce sounds great, too (and much better than my childhood dip, Heinz ketchup).

I didn't have fish sticks as a child, and has eaten just once as an adult as it's not very common here. But it sounds like a perfect quick lunch. And I can dip anything to this tartar sauce, it's so appetizing with fresh dill.

I saw this on Photograzing a couple of hours ago. Hmm. I just happened to have a nice, thick, square piece of fish. Hmm. It's cod this time, but so what. I make tarter sauce a bit differently and just happen to have some on hand. So what. Panko, egg and oil are staples. Hmm. Damn good meal. THanks for sharing the idea.